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POSTED: Monday, November 10, 2008

Obama deserves loyalty of all Americans

I am many things. I am a Republican. I am an Army veteran. I am an Army wife. I am a McCain supporter. I am disappointed that my choice didn't win.

But first and foremost—I am an American. While I may not agree with President-elect Barack Obama's policies and have questions about his character and associations, he will be my president, and for that reason I will support him.

I will give him the opportunity to keep his promises, but make no mistake—I will not sit by quietly should he make decisions that will be detrimental to my country.

Outside of my family, I love our nation above all else, and am and forever will be grateful and will never take for granted the life and freedoms she has afforded me.

For the sake of the United States, this, the greatest nation on Earth, I hope Obama proves me wrong.

 

Governor needed to rebuild Hawaii party

Gov. Linda Lingle spent a lot of time campaigning on the mainland for the GOP presidential ticket while our people at home suffer with a declining economy, thus causing many to believe she's damaged her local credibility.

Well, let's discuss her local credibility. Lingle's travels on the mainland served to promote her own interests. This is the same Lingle who is notorious for eliminating elected and appointed Republicans with whom she doesn't agree, and the same Lingle who spent more than $5 million on her re-election while doing little to help Republicans running for the state Legislature.

In fact, the Lingle campaign took volunteers from Republican legislative candidates' campaigns so that they could work on her re-election campaign, when the governor's campaign had sufficient money to hire paid staff.

If the governor has any local credibility, why have the GOP's numbers in the state Legislature dwindled from 22 before she took office to 11 today? After Nov. 4, there may be only two Republicans in the state Senate; while I must admit that there were only two GOP senators when I was Senate Minority Leader in 2000, at least the caucus was efficient and worked well together.

If this governor spent as much time building the party as she has on her own self-promotion, she'd have more local credibility, and the GOP would be in far better shape.

 

Definition of 'local' is ever-changing

There's quite a debate about whether Barack Obama is local or not. Because he was born and raised through most of his childhood here, does that make him local? How about in the case of a military couple assigned to Hawaii for a few back-to-back tours and their child is born in Hawaii, attends public schools and is raised here until reassignment off-island? Is that child local?

How about in the case of a student who moves to Hawaii to attend the University of Hawaii, becomes the star quarterback, takes UH to a big bowl game, graduates and leaves the state for other horizons. Is he local?

How about in the case of a foreign or mainland transplant who arrives in Hawaii, decides to settle here, works, pays taxes and has a family. Is that person local?

Do the the native Hawaiians consider Obama and all these other people locals?

In the islands, being “;local”; is in the eye of the beholder. There are many haoles and Asians who have been born and raised here and in some social circles are not considered “;local.”; There are also many island transplants who come to the islands and love and care for them better than those who were born and raised here. I consider such transplants better neighbors and “;locals”; than those with a local birthright.

Regardless, the definition of who is “;local”; is not applied with any standard among “;the locals.”;

 

Hawaii GOP ought to boot its chairman

Is it possible for state GOP Chairman Willes Lee to get the message? His statements in the Nov. 10 Star-Bulletin story, “;State GOP left reeling from losses in election,”; indicate that he really hasn't a clue as to why under his leadership the GOP is now at its lowest elected level since the 1960s.

Lee comes up with a rather startling grasp of the obvious, “;We need to run more and better candidates.”;

The reality is that the GOP had some really great candidates, such as Quentin Kawananakoa, who had as much money as he wanted to run his campaign and the former chairman of the GOP Sam Aiona as his campaign manager. It doesn't get much better than that, yet he still lost miserably to a first time Democrat.

The facts are that the Hawaii GOP has become the party that stands up for nothing. It won't take a stand on controversial issues such as rail transit so why should anyone be enticed into running for a party that is an anchor around your neck?

You can get all the candidates you can find, but as long as the Hawaii GOP takes no interest in opposing the Democrats on issues that will inspire and attract candidates and voters, then it is a waste of time and money to run as a Republican.

The first thing on the agenda of the Hawaii GOP to prepare for the 2010 election for governor is for the current chairman, Willes Lee, to tender his resignation.

 

Americans should be able to vote online

Many precincts all over the United States reported problems at polling places. Didn't we learn anything with the hanging chad situation that cost Al Gore the presidency, and ultimately the many lives lost in Iraq?

I go to the ATM way too often. I use a credit card at the gas pump. I pay all my bills online. I file my taxes online. I've never caught a mistake. Why haven't we made online voting an option? This would ease the burden on the process and save a huge amount of money. Who set up the IRS payment Web site? Let them do it.

               

     

 

 

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